Back to School Shopping...

Normally I'm pretty disgusted by the media's hype on Back-to-School shopping just as we clean up the fireworks on the driveway from the 4th. As if anyone is thinking about backpacks, sweaters and jeans when the weather just FINALLY turned summerish. And of course there will be Halloween decorations out come August and Christmas stuff will be on the shelves before the leaves have even hit their full fall glory. Really, the buy it now and buy it early mindset is pretty irritating, to say the least.

But when it comes to homeschooling, there are certain things that you really do need to plan ahead and prepare for. So as of spring my prayers and research began on what to do with the coming school year, and once the planning was mostly done it was time to actually do some purchasing. Yes, it's still only the first week we've been able to pull out the pool this summer. But if I wait until school really is starting I'll never be ready to start when I need to.

Well, my curriculum arrived a couple of weeks ago. I just ordered the bulk of the extras I needed for the year (art supplies, math books, paper, a few random books we wanted to have around) from Rainbow Resource and Amazon, and everything should be here in the next two weeks. All I have left to buy are the random things that I couldn't find online but are easy to get at Target or the grocery store (three ring binders, spiral notebooks, that kind of thing). Oh and I'm sure they'll all be needing a few pairs of pants and shirts in the next size up come the cold weather, but I'm nowhere near even thinking about that yet!

All in all, for only being July 8th, I think I'm doing pretty well so far in preparing for the coming school year. I'm excited, I'm having fun working out the details, I can't WAIT to break into my box of art supplies and goodies... I feel like it's going to be a good year. A great year. I prayed for guidance and clarity in which direction to go this year, and God was faithful. So I trust that the year ahead will be blessed.

And I am so excited to do it all! For me that's pretty cool, as often I get nervous and apprehensive about starting a school year.

So 2010/2011, third grade, first grade, pre-k, toddler, baby - HERE WE COME!

But - I'm sure glad to be able to sit back and enjoy the summer in the meantime. ;o)